THEATRE REVIEWS

Brooklyn 1940's. In a well to do home, designed by Michael Holt, two elderly sisters played by Angela Thorne and Brigit Forsyth glow like beacons of charitable goodness, seemingly unaffected by the war around them. Their nephew Mortimer (Andrew Havill) enters amid much joy and quickly sets the scene for romance with some good news about the vicar's daughter. As tea is served however a dark secret is discovered that changes everything, and the concept of hospitality takes on a whole new meaning.

The play directed by Robin Herford seemed slow at first, with surprisingly little character or plot development. After the interval it picked up speed, and was greatly enhanced by the arrival of Sylvester McCoy as Dr Einstein. Slightly over-hammy acting throughout by Andrew Havill added more than a touch of slapstick that was jollied along by an amusing "President Roosevelt" and some classic stumbling around in the dark scenes.

As the circumstances became increasingly absurd, the audience, who had been slightly reserved at first, warmed up. The simple black humour clearly appealed more to the over fifties, who made up the vast majority of the audience. By the final curtain however everyone certainly had enjoyed a good chuckle.

With sweet old ladies, a stuffy old vicar, bumbling and incompetent cops, an evil German doctor and a cruel long lost brother, the play is not short on clichés. At times the American accents were unconvincing, but this was more than compensated for by a very high overall standard of acting and excellent casting. Angela Thorne and Brigit Forsyth made the play, being both compelling as individuals and demonstrating superb comic timing as a duo. © XT

“Arsenic and Old Lace” is in Bath on the 28th until the 5th of March, 2005 and continues their UK tour.